Daniel [GM] 00:00:31 Welcome to Explorers Wanted, we are a Numenera actual-play podcast and I’ll be your humble GM Daniel Andrlik. With me today is Sampson Davis. Sampson [Dili] 00:00:42 Hi, How's it going? Daniel [GM] 00:00:45 Marietta Jones. Marietta [Atalia] 00:00:45 Oh hi. Stace [Nix] 00:00:49 I am still here, and I am still drinking wine…claw. Daniel [GM] 00:00:57 And Alex Finn. Alex [ChaCha] 00:01:00 Live from the nest. Daniel [GM] 00:01:02 Okay. So, who remembers what happened last week? This time I am going to pick on Marietta. Marietta [Atalia] 00:01:12 Oh man. I remember how it ended. Sampson [Dili] 00:01:14 Good. Good. Marietta [Atalia] 00:01:14 Okay, so, we all kind of did our own thing. I finished up my meeting, there was some back story, there was some exposition, it was pretty good. We had, um, Nix going back and seeing her sick mom. Who it turns out has been randomly maybe teleporting to places? And they hired a nano to help her cuz I guess it’s some sort of disease or there’s something going on there. And I guess it’s really heckin’ expensive. And it sounds like Nix just made some dollars but not quite enough and she hasn’t really told us anything about this yet, so…. Anyway, And then we cut to ChaCha and Dili who went to a really shitty bar that they found, that we were supposed to meet up at, that has a name. It’s the Crown…something. Daniel [GM] 00:02:09 It’s the Queen’s Spittoon. Marietta [Atalia] 00:02:12 Oh. Queen’s Spittoon. Right. Yeah. So yeah, so they go there, they get a table together, couple beers and Dili gives a shin for what was a quarter-shin cost and since he doesn’t have change he just gives the rest of it as a tip and the lady’s like, wink, wink. Something’s going on there but we don’t really know…. And it’s kind of confusing and little awkward. And then, I feel like, ChaCha backstory was also exposed upon. But I don’t remember exactly exactly what conversation pieces popped up there because I, personally, wasn’t in the room. So anyways, there’s more discussion there. Marietta [Atalia] 00:02:57 And then, Nix eventually says goodbye to her parents and shows up and they’re hanging out. Nix is, like, “Oh my gosh, guys, you didn’t get me my scorpions,” because, PS, previously, Nix had been like, “Oh, meet up at this bar, get me some green scorpions.” And then we all ate the scorpions. Then I showed up and saw there were scorpions and I was like, “Mmm, scorpions,” and then this creepy shadowy person was in the room. They appeared in the bar and were kind of checking me out I guess, because, you know, how could you not, look at me. I understand. Marietta [Atalia] 00:03:36 Then I wanted to get a better look at them so I was like, “I’m gonna go to the bathroom, tee-hee.” So I stood up and did, like, a quick stealth look and I was like, “That’s fuckin’ creepy, that seems like someone from ‘question mark’ organization. But I actually do have to pee so I’m gonna go pee.” So then I went to the bathroom and creepy dude followed me. Which is creepy, first of all, and was like, “Hey, you shouldn’t ask questions, you know better than that.” And then we ended the session. Daniel [GM] 00:04:05 Yes. So specifically, that low gravelly voice said, [As Person with Low, Gravelly Voice] You should know better than to ask questions like that. And that’s where we’ll pick it up. Atalia, you are in this restroom. They didn’t come in that long after you. And you have heard this statement, and you have been involved in this organization enough to know there is, this is a problem. Marietta [Atalia] 00:04:33 [As Atalia] This is an awkward place to have a conversation. Uh…yeah. I’m gonna [inaudible 00:04:41]. Daniel [GM] 00:04:41 [As Person with Low, Gravelly, Voice] I think you wanna talk to me. Marietta [Atalia] 00:04:44 [As Atalia] Why? Daniel [GM] 00:04:46 I think your life might depend on it. Marietta [Atalia] 00:04:49 [As Atalia] And what would make you think such a thing? Daniel [GM] 00:04:51 So you still can’t see their face, but this like, hooded figure steps a little closer and they say [As Person with Low, Gravelly Voice] Listen, I know James has a soft spot for you. You bring in money that he wants and that’s good. But when you start asking questions about how we handle other contracts, it’s a problem. Marietta [Atalia] 00:05:12 [As Atalia] Well then I don’t know why you sent me on that mission to begin with. I was very straightforward about my limits. You know, it seems like you guys wanted me to find out or I wouldn’t have been there. Daniel [GM] 00:05:25 [As Person with Low, Gravelly Voice] It’s not your concern why the other contract was there. You were contracted out for your job. Beyond your job it doesn’t matter. You got paid, right? You got paid what you were promised? Marietta [Atalia] 00:05:38 [As Atalia] I suppose. Daniel [GM] 00:05:39 [As Person with Low, Gravelly Voice] Atalia, do we have a problem? Marietta [Atalia] 00:05:41 [As Atalia] I don’t know, you’re the one who followed me into a bathroom. Which I did actually have to pee, thank you. And she’ll walking to a, I presume there are stalls. Daniel [GM] 00:05:52 Yeah, the equivalent of a stall. Which kind of is this weird creature’s mouth. Marietta [Atalia] 00:05:59 So like…. Daniel [GM] 00:06:01 You step over its jagged teeth and move back to where the chair is situated. [Record screech 00:06:06] Marietta [Atalia] 00:06:05 Wait…wait…. Alex [ChaCha] 00:06:06 [Inaudible] Sampson [Dili] 00:06:11 The fucked up parts of the Flintstones that you never see. Alex [ChaCha] 00:06:13 Ew. Daniel [GM] 00:06:14 Yeah. Marietta [Atalia] 00:06:15 What if I really have to pee, though? I don’t want to pee in some monster’s mouth. Alex [ChaCha] 00:06:20 Too late now. You’re in the Ninth World. Stace [Nix] 00:06:23 I feel like I got distracted for three seconds and I have no idea what’s going on. Alex [ChaCha] 00:06:27 You don’t want to. Marietta [Atalia] 00:06:30 I just wanted to go the bathroom and I’m being like, perpetrated here. Daniel [GM] 00:06:34 Perpetrated? Stace [Nix] 00:06:37 That sounds bad. Marietta [Atalia] 00:06:37 Yes. You know, you might be right. So I’m just gonna go for it, I guess. Daniel [GM] 00:06:45 Okay. The figure is still standing outside the mouth and waiting patiently. At this point I would say let’s cut back to the rest of the group, because enough time would have passed for them to decide what kind of action they want to take. If anything. Sampson [Dili] 00:07:04 [As Dili] We should help her. Stace [Nix] 00:07:06 Yeah. Nix stands up and is, like, [As Nix] Hey guy, what’s up? Daniel [GM] 00:07:12 You’re going to go into the restroom? Stace [Nix] 00:07:13 How far away is this restroom? Daniel [GM] 00:07:15 I mean, it’s across the room. Stace [Nix] 00:07:16 So as she’s walking, she yells, [As Nix] Hey guy, what’s up? Daniel [GM] 00:07:22 Even though, they’re already in there? Stace [Nix] 00:07:23 Oh, they’re in there? Yeah, sure. Daniel [GM] 00:07:27 Okay, so a couple people look up at you and you actually get a glare from a familiar, large figure with the goons. Stace [Nix] 00:07:34 Nix shrugs at him. Daniel [GM] 00:07:35 You go into the bathroom. Is anyone else following her? Sampson [Dili] 00:07:38 Dili is going in as well. Alex [ChaCha] 00:07:42 I’m, like, torn between wanting to play puppets with the scorpions and watch the table, and going into the bathroom to help. Cuz I’m like, helping use the bathroom? Aren’t we just gonna get in each other’s way? Daniel [GM] 00:07:56 I mean, it’s a dive bar so you don’t really know. What would be most logical for ChaCha in that moment? Not logical, but would be most ChaCha at that moment? Alex [ChaCha] 00:08:05 Scorpion puppets, yo, scorpion puppets. Daniel [GM] 00:08:09 Okay, so ChaCha is playing scorpion puppets. And, actually, one of the other tables that is very drunk is very excited. So tell me about ChaCha’s puppet show with the scorpions. Alex [ChaCha] 00:08:21 I think she’s re-enacting, like, what she interprets happens in the ruins. Daniel [GM] 00:08:28 Okay. Alex [ChaCha] 00:08:30 And, like, one of the scorpions is Nix and the other one is Dili, and so they’re like re-enacting how she perceived it happened. And it’s a little bit more comical and little less action-packed, but more, like, hey, hello, I slipped on a banana peel. Daniel [GM] 00:08:52 Okay. So, yeah, you’re doing that. The other people are kind of, like, enjoying the humor. And, so Nix, you walk into the restroom first and you see, standing outside the mouth of this creature, is this shadowy figure. You don’t see Atalia anywhere, but the way this figure is sort of staring in the mouth you assume that she’s back there doing her business. Stace [Nix] 00:09:16 [As Nix] Yo, what are you doing? That is pretty rude. Daniel [GM] 00:09:21 The figure, like, turns towards you and says, [As Person with Low, Gravelly Voice] This isn’t your concern. Stace [Nix] 00:09:26 [As Nix] Ah, nah, you see, that’s my girl, Atalia which does make this totally my concern. Daniel [GM] 00:09:32 [As Person with Low, Gravelly Voice] Does she work for you? Stace [Nix] 00:09:34 [As Nix] We work together and we’re friends, pal, so, uh, how ‘bout you just…leave? Daniel [GM] 00:09:39 [As Person with Low, Gravelly Voice] That’s interesting that you work together. I don’t know you. Who are you? Stace [Nix] 00:09:45 [As Nix] Do you want, like, a formal introduction? Like…does it really matter? I’m asking you to leave. Daniel [GM] 00:09:53 [As Person with Low, Gravelly Voice] I’m just saying, she’s got some things to explain and I don’t think this is any of your concern. It’s between her and me. Stace [Nix] 00:10:01 [As Nix] Nah, I mean, maybe, but you don’t seem like you’re quite on the up-and-up and like I said, that’s my girl, so. And she’s using the bathroom so I gotta say, not a good look, guy. Not a good look. Daniel [GM] 00:10:16 So they pull their hood back and it is clearly a woman with long, red hair. With a scar across her throat. Stace [Nix] 00:10:25 [As Nix] Still weird, dude. Why are you watching Atalia go to the bathroom? Daniel [GM] 00:10:32 [As Woman with Low, Gravelly Voice] I have to talk to her a little bit. Get some questions answered. Sampson [Dili] 00:10:35 Slightly panicking, Dili will like, [As Dili] Hey! This woman over here’s a pee pervert! Do we allow pee perverts in this establishment? Dili’s trying to get the bar to turn on Throat-Cut here. Daniel [GM] 00:10:52 So you’re actually, like, opening the door and yelling that? Sampson [Dili] 00:10:56 Yeah. Daniel [GM] 00:10:58 Okay. Sampson [Dili] 00:10:58 [As Dili] This girl’s peeping on someone peeing! What- what’s? Wow, wow! Pretty gross, right? Daniel [GM] 00:11:06 That’s going to be an intellect-based roll of 12. Sampson [Dili] 00:11:09 Oh, I’m good, I’ll put some effort into that. Daniel [GM] 00:11:14 And if you have anything in Performance or anything like that, that would help you, of course, as well. Sampson [Dili] 00:11:17 I do not. [Dice rolling] 10. Daniel [GM] 00:11:23 So you put effort into it, right? Sampson [Dili] 00:11:24 Yeah, so the level should be 9. Daniel [GM] 00:11:28 Yeah, so there are a couple patrons that get up and the bartender kind of, like, whispers to somebody and a couple patrons start heading in that direction as if they’re going to come in and deal with this. The person in the hood says, [As Woman with Low, Gravelly Voice] Fine. I hear what you’re saying. And then they kind of, look into the mouth and-. Stace [Nix] 00:11:52 [As Nix] Dude, it’s still weird. Sampson [Dili] 00:11:57 [As Dili] Wow, there she goes again! Daniel [GM] 00:12:03 Wow, you really had to go! Stace [Nix] 00:12:05 [As Nix] Yo, Atalia! Yo, Atalia, pull your pants up. Someone is watching you. Marietta [Atalia] 00:12:12 [As Atalia] Oh, shit, really? Daniel [GM] 00:12:13 Meanwhile, there’s this sound like a horse [Inaudible 00:12:16]. Marietta [Atalia] 00:12:20 Oh my gosh. Daniel [GM] 00:12:22 This woman looks in. Marietta [Atalia] 00:12:26 I’m definitely buttoning my trousers at this point. Daniel [GM] 00:12:29 She says, [As Woman with Low, Gravelly Voice] Atalia, I gotta tell ya, smart people don’t ask too many questions about contracts. Remember, you’ve got more to lose than just you. And then the figure looks at the rest of you and goes into another creature next to Atalia’s. And after a short moment you hear a really terrible sound. Sampson [Dili] 00:13:00 Are we just letting that be ambiguous or what? Or is that going to be a thing in post? Daniel [GM] 00:13:00 You think that maybe, like, you heard a whisper saying, [As Woman with Low, Gravelly Voice] Not like this. And then just a terrible splattering sound. Alex [ChaCha] 00:13:15 Ooohhhh. Sampson [Dili] 00:13:15 Oh, no. Alex [ChaCha] 00:13:17 The poor creature. Stace [Nix] 00:13:20 [As Nix] Great. Now there’s a line. Marietta [Atalia] 00:13:25 [As Atalia] All right, let’s get the fuck out of here, gosh. Sampson [Dili] 00:13:28 [As Dili] Yeah, let’s find a different bar. Stace [Nix] 00:13:32 [As Nix] No, man, c’mon. Daniel [GM] 00:13:34 There’s still scorpions to eat. Stace [Nix] 00:13:34 [As Nix] The scorps…. Sampson [Dili] 00:13:39 [As Dili] Looks like ChaCha’s touched them all. Daniel [GM] 00:13:43 As you come out of the bathroom you do see ChaCha making a couple of them dance, and the rest of the plate is no where near the same sense of order it was before. Stace [Nix] 00:13:53 [As Nix] Yo, ChaCha, if you’re gonna make puppets out of the scorps, like, can you use the scorps that already been ate? Alex [ChaCha] 00:14:02 [As ChaCha] I mean, yeah, but they don’t have the same flexibility and movement when you take out the meat. Stace [Nix] 00:14:09 [As Nix] Yeah, but the meat is the delicious part, dude. Alex [ChaCha] 00:14:12 [As ChaCha] But, they like this. Stace [Nix] 00:14:14 [As Nix] Okay, you keep those and I’m gonna eat these. Alex [ChaCha] 00:14:20 How angry is the crowd now that the puppet show is now down to two? Daniel [GM] 00:14:26 Well, then you’re going to have to give me a Performance roll if that’s what you’re gonna push towards. Stace [Nix] 00:14:30 What!? Daniel [GM] 00:14:31 Give me a 15. Alex [ChaCha] 00:14:36 Don’t judge my life. You’re saving people from death, I’m doing a saucy puppet show. [Dice rolling 00:14:44] Oh, I got a 19. This is an amazing puppet show. Daniel [GM] 00:14:50 Holy shit. Okay, yeah, so as you start following Nix’s suggestion there are several tables that are like, [As Bar Patron 1] Aw come on, that was funny stuff. One of them, like, looks at Nix and says, [As Bar Patron 2] God, they were right about you. And then they-. Stace [Nix] 00:15:17 [As Nix] Hehh. Like, I don’t even know who they are, dude. Daniel [GM] 00:15:23 The guy rolls his eyes and motions his head toward the huge guy in the corner with the goons around him. Stace [Nix] 00:15:30 [As Nix] Oh, him. You listen to him? But he’s a total asshole. I can’t believe you didn’t know. Daniel [GM] 00:15:38 He looks up at you like, [As Bar Patron 2] That asshole owns half of the neighborhood. One way or another. Stace [Nix] 00:15:44 [As Nix] I mean, still an asshole, though. Daniel [GM] 00:15:49 Give me some sort of Charisma, Persuasion, Positive Social Interactions, anything like that. Target’s a 9. Stace [Nix] 00:15:56 I’m trained in Social Interactions. Daniel [GM] 00:15:58 So 6. Stace [Nix] 00:16:00 13. Alex [ChaCha] 00:16:01 Yeah! Daniel [GM] 00:16:01 Okay, so, this guy kind of gives you, like, a brief smirk like he totally gets where you’re coming from, and says, [As Bar Patron 2] But, it’s just the way it is. And he goes back to his drink. Stace [Nix] 00:16:13 [As Nix] Deuces. Daniel [GM] 00:16:14 Yeah, so this, you guys are back in the middle of the bar. The shadowy figure has not emerged yet. What are you gonna do? Sampson [Dili] 00:16:22 [As Dili] I feel like we should leave. This whole-. Marietta [Atalia] 00:16:25 [As Atalia] Yeah I’m cool with that, let’s go. Sampson [Dili] 00:16:26 [As Dili] This whole environment has soured for me. We should get out of here. Stace [Nix] 00:16:30 [As Nix] All right, but let me get some scorps to go. Sampson [Dili] 00:16:33 [As Dili] Okay, fine. Daniel [GM] 00:16:36 So Nix goes up and orders those scorps to go and the bartender starts raising her eyebrow at you, looking beyond. She takes down Nix’s order and starts getting it ready. She hands off something to somebody else, there’s a small sort of teenaged kid that’s kind of running around with the orders. They come up and hand Dili a piece of folded paper. Sampson [Dili] 00:17:03 [As Dili] Ah, oh. Huhh. Thank you. Why are you doing this? Why are you handing this to me? Daniel [GM] 00:17:10 [As Delivery Kid] I was asked to give it to you. And then the teenager’s off again, delivering more scorpion trays to other people. Sampson [Dili] 00:17:16 [As Dili] Wait, who is it from? Oh, okay. Dili will open up the paper and read it. Daniel [GM] 00:17:23 It says, “I get off in 30 minutes.” Sampson [Dili] 00:17:25 [As Dili] Okay. We need to leave right now. Marietta [Atalia] 00:17:32 [As Atalia] Yeah, sure, let’s get the fuck out of here. Where are we goin’? Sampson [Dili] 00:17:37 [As Dili] Uhhh. I don’t know. I don’t usually go out at night. Marietta [Atalia] 00:17:43 [As Atalia] Where do you usually go at night? Sampson [Dili] 00:17:45 [As Dili] I don’t go anywhere. Marietta [Atalia] 00:17:46 [As Atalia] Okay, well, then where is nowhere? Sampson [Dili] 00:17:49 [As Dili] Uh, usually my shop, but it’s being renovated. Daniel [GM] 00:17:56 Okay, so that is definitely Deception. Alex [ChaCha] 00:17:58 I was gonna say, Deception Check! Sampson [Dili] 00:18:00 That is definitely a lie! Daniel [GM] 00:18:02 Please roll Deception. Marietta [Atalia] 00:18:04 I’m also trained in Detecting Falsehoods. Sampson [Dili] 00:18:06 Uh, that is a 12. Alex [ChaCha] 00:18:09 I got an 18. Daniel [GM] 00:18:10 Okay. Marietta [Atalia] 00:18:14 I also got an 18. Daniel [GM] 00:18:14 Oh, man. And you’re trained, so it’s a 21 for you. ChaCha and Atalia, you are absolutely certain that Dili is hiding something. The whole “shop is being renovated” thing is the worst lie you’ve ever heard. Sampson [Dili] 00:18:31 How dare you, that was a 12. It was plausible at least. Daniel [GM] 00:18:37 So Atalia and ChaCha, what do they do with that? Alex [ChaCha] 00:18:39 I think ChaCha’s just gonna look at him and say, [As ChaCha] You need to learn how to lie better. Second one, and this is bad. Sampson [Dili] 00:18:48 [As Dili] What!? I’m not lying. I’m totally not lying. And then, actually, around his head you will see a brief flash of a woman’s face, I think. [As Dili] I’m not lying whatsoever. Alex [ChaCha] 00:19:03 So does everyone else see the lady or is this a horror? Daniel [GM] 00:19:07 Everybody else sees it in this case. Alex [ChaCha] 00:19:09 Okay. Daniel [GM] 00:19:09 Whether or not ChaCha would know that instinctively or not…. Alex [ChaCha] 00:19:14 That’s a good question. Does she question everything’s existence? How crazy is she? Stay tuned and find out. Sampson [Dili] 00:19:21 Or she’s so crazy she doesn’t question anything. Alex [ChaCha] 00:19:24 These decisions will be made later. Sampson [Dili] 00:19:28 Easily made on the fly, as I see fit. Alex [ChaCha] 00:19:34 [As ChaCha] So is the shop actually closed, or is it like repossessed because you have no money? Sampson [Dili] 00:19:40 [As Dili] We can’t go there. I-. We just can’t go to my shop. So, if anyone else has a cool hangout place, or treehouse, or fort by the creek, I don’t…. Stace [Nix] 00:19:52 [As Nix] I mean-. Oh, Nix isn’t there. Sorry. Alex [ChaCha] 00:19:55 Were we gonna to stay at Nix’s parents’ basement? Daniel [GM] 00:20:03 You guys want some pizza rolls? Alex [ChaCha] 00:20:04 Moooom. Marietta [Atalia] 00:20:05 Yes. Alex [ChaCha] 00:20:06 I’m trying to game in here. Sampson [Dili] 00:20:08 You’re Mom just popped in with pizza rolls, would you like some? Marietta [Atalia] 00:20:13 Excellent, thanks Mom. Thanks. Alex [ChaCha] 00:20:18 I’m just gonna say, “Oh, I’ve been hanging out at this kid’s house because his parents are out.” But I don’t think he wants more friends. Stace [Nix] 00:20:27 Ahhh. Nix is still at the counter. Got nothin’. Daniel [GM] 00:20:34 I’d say at this point Nix is approaching with a huge sack of. Like a sack that looks like you have three orders of green scorpions and of course, because it’s the Ninth World, some of them are still kind of twitching and poking their legs through the sack. Stace [Nix] 00:20:52 [As Nix] Right on. She grabs one by the tail and just crunches it. Sampson [Dili] 00:20:59 Damn. [As Dili] Nix, do you have a place we can go besides here? Stace [Nix] 00:21:04 [As Nix] Oh, yeah, we can, uhh. Oh, you know what? We can go to the Wayhouse. For the Benevolent Society. Actually, I gotta go there anyway. I got to deliver a message. Marietta [Atalia] 00:21:17 [As Atalia] Yeah. Stace [Nix] 00:21:19 [As Nix] It’s made for travelers to, like, chill at. It’s open to the public. Alex [ChaCha] 00:21:26 [As ChaCha] Do they report to the Queen? Stace [Nix] 00:21:28 [As Nix] Nah, the Benevolent Society’s bigger than Charmonde, man. Alex [ChaCha] 00:21:32 [As ChaCha] Okay. Sampson [Dili] 00:21:33 [As Dili] That sounds nice. Do any shady people come through? Daniel [GM] 00:21:38 Dili would be aware of this because they are known of in Charmonde. ChaCha, very likely, unless you want to roll for it, you’ve probably never heard of this order. Alex [ChaCha] 00:21:49 Nah, I was just gonna ask a creepy question of if there were any kids there. Daniel [GM] 00:21:54 Go ahead. Alex [ChaCha] 00:21:56 The look on Stace’s face. Sampson [Dili] 00:22:04 It doesn’t help that this is an audio-only medium. Alex [ChaCha] 00:22:08 I’m sorry, it’s just shock and horror. Stace [Nix] 00:22:12 Uhh. Sampson [Dili] 00:22:13 Uhhh. Alex [ChaCha] 00:22:14 I mean, [As ChaCha] Are there kids at this place or is it just for adults. Stace [Nix] 00:22:19 [As Nix] Sometimes, like, families’ll stay with their kids, yeah. I can’t guarantee that there’s kids…if that’s what you’re lookin’ for, ChaCha. Can I just, very politely ask you what’s your deal with kids? Alex [ChaCha] 00:22:39 [As ChaCha] Kids aren’t mean like adults are mean. Kids say if they don’t like you or not. Like, Steve, that I’m hanging out at his house? He tells me if I’m not allowed to eat the food or not. Most of the time I just stay in his room, though. And he just let’s me stay in there and he gets the couch. Sampson [Dili] 00:23:04 [As Dili] Well, that doesn’t seem…bad. Sorry, Nix was going to say something? Stace [Nix] 00:23:05 [As Nix] No, that’s fine, Dili, I think we have the same sentiment here. Sampson [Dili] 00:23:11 [As Dili] And also wouldn’t you prefer people be up front about their feelings instead of hiding it and lying to you? Alex [ChaCha] 00:23:16 [As ChaCha] Well, mostly at times adults just…beat me up and thrown me out of town. Sampson [Dili] 00:23:22 [As Dili] Holy shit. What? What? Why would they do that? Alex [ChaCha] 00:23:29 [As ChaCha] They don’t like me. Sampson [Dili] 00:23:30 [As Dili] Any reason? Also, can we leave? Can we, like, walk and talk or something? Stace [Nix] 00:23:35 [As Nix] Uh, yeah, this way, guys. Sampson [Dili] 00:23:37 [As Dili] Awesome. Stace [Nix] 00:23:38 Nix, um, very specifically throws double deuces at the asshole in charge of half the neighborhood. Daniel [GM] 00:23:46 Okay. He just smiles at you, coldly. Sampson [Dili] 00:23:51 We’re going to the Benevolent house? Is that what this is? Stace [Nix] 00:23:53 The Beneveolent Society of Travelers. Yeah. Their Wayhouse. Sampson [Dili] 00:23:59 And is it just kind of a Dorothy Day halfway house kind of thing? Stace [Nix] 00:24:02 More like a free hostel. Sampson [Dili] 00:24:07 It’s like a hostel? Stace [Nix] 00:24:08 Yeah. Alex [ChaCha] 00:24:09 A youth hostel or…? Stace [Nix] 00:24:11 For everybody. Daniel [GM] 00:24:14 As you guys approach is a pretty well-established home. It’s not fancy, but it’s well-kept. It has this front door with a wide, open porch in the front that has an image of a compass rose carved into it. And as Nix leads you toward it, you do see that there is one figure, just sort of laid back and relaxing in a rocking chair on the porch. Nix, whom you recognize. Stace [Nix] 00:24:44 [As Nix] What up, Hey You? Daniel [GM] 00:24:46 [As Hey You] Oh, Nix! You’re back, that’s awesome. Uh, oh, you got a whole crew with ya.” Stace [Nix] 00:24:54 [As Nix] Got a crew and got some scorps, you want some? Daniel [GM] 00:24:59 [As Hey You] Oh my god, I would kill for some scorps right now. Stace [Nix] 00:25:01 [As Nix] Here you go, man. And she gives up one of her clamshells of scorps. Daniel [GM] 00:25:06 Yep, so he cracks it open and looks at it and he’s like, [As Hey You] Aww, oh my god, this is amazing. Like, that place is a shithole, but the scorps amiright? Stace [Nix] 00:25:16 [As Nix] You cannot beat these scorps. Thanks for the recommendation. Daniel [GM] 00:25:21 [As Hey You] Yeah, my pleasure. Ooh. Now I’m tired. Stace [Nix] 00:25:26 [As Nix] Then rest, man. Daniel [GM] 00:25:27 [As Hey You] Yeah, yeah, yeah. For sure. And he kind of stands up then kind of stumbles a little bit and he finds his way- he heads in ahead of you guys. Sampson [Dili] 00:25:37 [As Dili] Nix, is that you dad? Stace [Nix] 00:25:40 [As Nix] No. Sampson [Dili] 00:25:40 [As Dili] You just seem so similar. Stace [Nix] 00:25:42 [As Nix] What? No, man, he’s also a Traveler. Sampson [Dili] 00:25:46 [As Dili] That’s uncanny, how much you two are alike. Stace [Nix] 00:25:52 [As Nix] Thanks. Sampson [Dili] 00:25:53 [As Dili] Brother? Is that your brother? Stace [Nix] 00:25:57 [As Nix] No. Sampson [Dili] 00:25:57 [As Dili] Okay. Stace [Nix] 00:25:58 [As Nix] No relation, man. Sampson [Dili] 00:26:00 [As Dili] Huh. All right. Lead the way. Or at least get out of the way so I can go in. Stace [Nix] [As Dili] All right, so Nix leads the way and, um, like, directs the crew to, like, the common area inside. Daniel [GM] 00:26:15 Yeah, it’s pretty easy. I mean, it’s pretty chill in here, there aren’t a huge number of people besides Hey You here. You kind of come in with the group and it depends on you if you want to mingle or if you want to try to find them rooms right away. Stace [Nix] 00:26:34 I think Nix would direct them to the common area to hang out and then talk to, or try to find, Jen. Daniel [GM] 00:26:43 Okay. So you go there and you see Pathfinder Jen. And she is standing over a desk and looking over some paperwork. Stace [Nix] 00:26:43 Now I can’t remember if it’s Jen or Jem. Was it Jemnimy? Daniel [GM] 00:26:57 It’s Jenminy. But she asked you to call her Jen. Stace [Nix] 00:27:02 Okay. [As Nix] Yo, Pathfinder Jen. Daniel [GM] 00:27:05 [As Pathfinder Jen] Oh, Nix, Nix, I’m glad to see you. I was worried I wasn’t gonna get to see you until later. Stace [Nix] 00:27:11 [As Nix] Nah, you get to see me today. I, uh, any news on that boot allowance? Daniel [GM] 00:27:16 [As Pathfinder Jen] I’m working on it. I’m working on it. Things look good. I should have some news for you probably by tomorrow afternoon. Stace [Nix] 00:27:25 [As Nix] Awesome. Um, so, uh, another thing. I heard you, uh, you dropped by, saw my mom. Daniel [GM] 00:27:31 [As Pathfinder Jen] Oh, yes, yes, uh. I originally was going to wait to talk to you, but you know, I realized that the name was recognizable. I just stopped by since I knew you were busy. Stace [Nix] 00:27:48 [As Nix] Yeah, so just, like, cool it on that. Glad you got to converse, but, you know, she’s not doing so well right now. So I’d appreciate it if, like, from now on, you would wait for me to go there, go with me or ask me so we can just make sure she’s, like, in a good place. Daniel [GM] 00:28:08 [As Pathfinder Jen] Okay. Give me a Perception roll, actually. Or not, Perception, but like a Persuasion of some sort, Positive Social Interaction. Stace [Nix] 00:28:16 Yep. Daniel [GM] 00:28:16 Target would be a 12. Stace [Nix] 00:28:18 Okay, so 9 for me. I got a 3. Daniel [GM] 00:28:23 Okay. She looks at you, she’s like, [As Pathfinder Jen] Oh, I totally understand, but you did mention I could come visit her, I’m sorry for the misunderstanding. Stace [Nix] 00:28:34 [As Nix] Yeah, I appreciate that. I think I mighta actually said that I would take you to see her? So, I, like, get where you’re confused. But just goin’ forward, you know, she’s not doin’ well. I’m real worried about her. You know, parents. You know, we honor our parents. Daniel [GM] 00:28:49 [As Pathfinder Jen] Sure. Sure. Stace [Nix] 00:28:51 [As Nix] Yes. So this is me taking care of them and asking you not to go there without me again. Daniel [GM] 00:28:56 [As Pathfinder Jen] Oh. Of course, Traveler. I will respect your wishes. Stace [Nix] 00:29:03 [As Nix] Dope! Sweet. Thanks, Jen. Daniel [GM] 00:29:05 [As Pathfinder Jen] Have a good night, Nix. Stace [Nix] 00:29:08 Now she’ll find them rooms. Alex [ChaCha] 00:29:11 So did the whole party just witness that? Stace [Nix] 00:29:15 Possibly? I don’t think-. Daniel [GM] 00:29:16 I don’t know. Would the rest of the party have followed Nix all the way to the Pathfinder or would they have stayed in the common area. Because you said that you were gonna direct them to the common area and then go look for the Pathfinder. Stace [Nix] 00:29:28 Yeah, I guess would depend on if they followed me or how close the Pathfinder was. Cuz Nix wouldn’t have tried not to have the conversation in front of them. Sampson [Dili] 00:29:40 Uh, if Dili was told to stay in the common area Dili wouldn’t have tried to snoop. Marietta [Atalia] 00:29:45 Yeah I would’ve stayed there as well. Daniel [GM] 00:29:45 Okay, ChaCha? Alex [ChaCha] 00:29:48 I think she would’ve gone like halfway there, like a little bit closer, kind of like, “Whatcha doing over there? You doing some illegal juggling? You selling us out? Whatcha doin’ over there, Nix?” Daniel [GM] 00:30:04 Yeah, I would say if you’re going halfway it’s probably not enough to tell what’s going on. In that case I guess nobody’s really heard your conversation, you come back to the group. You encounter ChaCha first, who is much closer than the rest of them. Stace [Nix] 00:30:21 [As Nix] Hey, ChaCha. The common room’s this way. You guys tired? You want rooms? What’re you thinkin’? Alex [ChaCha] 00:30:31 [As ChaCha] Just rooms that we can lock the windows in. Stace [Nix] 00:30:33 [As Nix] Oh, yeah, I’m not even sure these windows open, honestly. It’s a pretty old building, they might be painted shut. I guess Nix goes back to the common area. Marietta [Atalia] 00:30:44 [As Atalia] Um, you guys, actually, I think I’m gonna head out. Is there somewhere we can meet up in the morning? Stace [Nix] 00:30:51 [As Nix] Here? Marietta [Atalia] 00:30:52 [As Atalia] Yeah, sure. I’ll meet you guys back here. You see what you can find out, I’ll see what I can find out. We’ll meet in the morning. So I kinda back up, back it up up up. Daniel [GM] 00:31:06 Okay. Since the rest of you are kind of staying in the common area, one of the few other people in this room wanders up kind of drunkenly and puts their arm – they have to bend over a little bit to do it – over Dili’s shoulder. Sampson [Dili] 00:31:20 [As Dili] Ahh! Can I help you? Daniel [GM] 00:31:23 [As Traveler] You look familiar, man. Where do I know you from? Sampson [Dili] 00:31:30 [As Dili] Wha- What? I-I, you, [clears throat]. You’ve never met me before. Daniel [GM] 00:31:37 [As Traveler] Are you sure? I don’t know why, you look really familiar. Sampson [Dili] 00:31:39 [As Dili] I, it’s just my face. I-. Daniel [GM] [As Dili] [As Traveler] One of those faces? Sampson [Dili] 00:31:43 [As Dili] Yeah. It’s just one of those faces, then. Daniel [GM] 00:31:46 [As Traveler] I don’t know, I swear I saw you before. Sampson [Dili] 00:31:48 [As Dili] I swear you have not seen me. Daniel [GM] 00:31:51 [As Traveler] Hey, Hey You, over there. Have you ever seen? This guy looks familiar, right? This other guy looks up and is, like, [As Hey You] He does look familiar, man. Um, where was that from? And at this point Nix is kind of coming in with ChaCha. Nix, on your way back, you notice on one of the work boards, it’s listed as a private deal. Which means there’s not a lot of details about it. But there is a pending job to return somebody to someone. A contact for a specific location. There is very well drawn picture of Dili. Stace [Nix] 00:32:37 Nix immediately grabs it, pulls off the board, folds it up and sticks it in her pocket. Alex [ChaCha] 00:32:43 Does ChaCha see this? Daniel [GM] 00:32:47 ChaCha probably saw Nix pull something off the board and put it in her pocket, but ChaCha probably didn’t see whatever it was itself. Alex [ChaCha] 00:32:55 [As ChaCha] Nix, what are we hiding? Stace [Nix] 00:32:55 [As Nix] I’ll explain later, ChaCha, but just, like, play it cool, all right? Alex [ChaCha] 00:33:03 [As ChaCha] I mean, cool? Or do we need to set it on fire? Stace [Nix] 00:33:09 [As Nix] Nah, we’re not gonna set it on fire, yet. But we probably will so keep that in your back pocket all right? Alex [ChaCha] 00:33:15 [As ChaCha] Okay. Stace [Nix] 00:33:17 Yeah. That’s what Nix does. Daniel [GM] 00:33:19 Okay. Um, as you work your way back, there’s Hey You and some other Traveler that you don’t recognize, Nix. They are looking at Dili like, [As Traveler] I think it was, like, a drawing or something? That we saw him in? Like, it’s-. You just have this very familiar face to us. Sampson [Dili] 00:33:40 [As Dili] I…. I, so craziest thing, so it’s a very common face in this part of town, I bet. And Dili’s trying to pull away. Daniel [GM] 00:33:48 Mhmm. Sampson [Dili] 00:33:50 From these two. Daniel [GM] 00:33:50 Okay. At this point, Nix and ChaCha are coming into earshot. Sampson [Dili] 00:33:55 [As Dili] I… Hey, look, something behind you is on fire! Dili’s gonna use his minor illusion. A chair, or something manageable for lack of a better word, appears to be on fire. Daniel [GM] 00:34:13 Okay, okay. I think that’s good. I think it’ll depend a little bit on your delivery, so this is going to be a relatively easy roll but it’s going to be some sort of Performance or Deception. And the target will be 6. Sampson [Dili] 00:34:30 Um, Dili’s gonna put a level of Effort into that. Daniel [GM] 00:34:35 That’s a 3. Sampson [Dili] 00:34:37 I am going to assume Deception, just cuz I don’t know how to perform like, “Hey there’s a fire behind you that you can definitely see.” Anyway, 10. Daniel [GM] 00:34:48 Nice. Okay, they look back and the grip on you loosens and they’re like, [As Traveler] Holy shit! And the one that he referred to as “Hey You” runs over and is like, trying to slap it with a thick blanket. Sampson [Dili] 00:35:06 I think as long as I’m focusing on it I can have it react relatively realistically. Daniel [GM] 00:35:13 Okay. We’ll just assume that happens. Is there anything else you want to do in the sense now that he has loosened up his grip around your shoulders, or if you have something…or if Nix wants to do something. However you guys want to play this. Sampson [Dili] 00:35:28 Dili’s gonna at least deepen his hood and try to find his friends and try to hide behind them. It’s not an ability that Dili has at the moment, but I think he’s at least trying to change his face using his illusions. But it’s probably not working out too well. Daniel [GM] 00:35:48 It kind of probably looks funky and strange. Sampson [Dili] 00:35:51 Big splotches on his face. Daniel [GM] 00:35:53 Mhmm. Sampson [Dili] 00:35:55 Yeah. Daniel [GM] 00:35:56 Yeah, so Nix and ChaCha you have now overheard bits of this and you see this illusion that Dili is casting. Probably looks very realistic to you guys. Alex [ChaCha] 00:36:05 [As ChaCha] I didn’t even do fire this time. Stace [Nix] 00:36:07 [As Nix] Holy shit! Nix tosses the scorpions at Hey You and knocks over the chair and starts stomping on it. Daniel [GM] 00:36:18 Okay. Okay. I would say that Dili can probably keep up with that illusion. I guess, Dili, if you want to, it’s probably a 3 Intellect roll. Sampson [Dili] 00:36:30 Uhhhh. I am – Dili’s pretty frazzled at this so he’s going to put a level of Effort into that to make it a gimme. Daniel [GM] 00:36:39 Okay. So it falls and definitely kind of snuffs out as Nix is stomping on it. Alex [ChaCha] 00:36:45 So, side question. How obvious would it be to ChaCha and Nix that Dili’s trying to hide who he is? Like, oh, let me just lower this hood a little bit more. Daniel [GM] 00:36:58 Dili’s not particularly subtle. Sampson [Dili] 00:37:00 Nope! Daniel [GM] 00:37:01 Ah, yeah. I would say instead of a contested roll, I’d say Seeing through Deception or something like that. The target is a 6. Alex [ChaCha] 00:37:11 Okay, so ChaCha got a nat 20. So she knows Dili’s social security number now. Daniel [GM] 00:37:19 Yeah. ChaCha knows that Dili is absolutely trying to hide. It is absolutely obvious to her that he is on the run from someone. He is definitely desperate and beyond that, that is probably the most you can make out of just trying to determine that. Alex [ChaCha] 00:37:39 So would Hedge Magic change Dili’s face? Daniel [GM] 00:37:43 Hedge Magic can change subtle appearances. You could change eye color or hair color or something like that while you’re trying to do it. You couldn’t necessarily give someone a completely different face. Alex [ChaCha] 00:37:54 Could she throw on a scar and a beard? Daniel [GM] 00:38:00 You could throw on a scar and a beard. Once again, his core facial structure would still be the same. Alex [ChaCha] 00:38:09 Right, that’s fine. Scars and beards change a lot. Daniel [GM] 00:38:13 Mhmm. And it’s not permanent. It’s something that occasionally you will have to refresh. Alex [ChaCha] 00:38:17 Yeah I think for now ChaCha throws a beard and a scar on him, like “Cool story, bro.” Daniel [GM] 00:38:23 The person already had him. If they look back, they’re like, [As Traveler] Holy shit, man, when did you grow a beard? Sampson [Dili] 00:38:31 [As Dili] I…uhh. What? Does Dili notice that his face has changed? Daniel [GM] 00:38:37 You probably can’t feel anything different. But if you-. Sampson, since you actually have a beard you know sometimes that if you look down you can see the hair on your lip or something like that. Sampson [Dili] 00:38:49 Dili will do that duck face like, [As Dili] Beard? What do you…. Yes. My beard. The thing that the person you’re thinking of probably didn’t have. So please leave me alone. Daniel [GM] 00:39:05 [As Traveler] That’s so weird. Okay, so Dili, since you’re trying to do that, give me a Persuasion roll with an asset. Target is 12. Sampson [Dili] 00:39:13 Uh, 12 with the asset? Daniel [GM] 00:39:16 No, with the asset it would be 9. Sampson [Dili] 00:39:18 Uhh. I’ll try that straight. [Dice rolls]. Fuck! 6. Alex [ChaCha] 00:39:24 I gave you this awesome beard. Sampson [Dili] 00:39:26 It’s…sorry. Daniel [GM] 00:39:29 [As Traveler] Dude-. And he like, looks at you and is like, [As Traveler] Did I see you in a drawing? Sampson [Dili] 00:39:33 The fire starts up behind him again. [As Dili] Ahh it’s happening again! Daniel [GM] 00:39:42 Is Nix doing anything? Stace [Nix] 00:39:45 Yeah. She’s like, [As Nix] Damn, what the fuck this fire, guys? Like…. Sampson [Dili] 00:39:50 To be fair to Nix, my illusions at this point are only sight and sound, so…. Daniel [GM] 00:39:57 Oh, so if she stomped it out she would probably notice that there was no heat. Stace [Nix] 00:40:00 Okay. Well, I think Nix, with her finding – and correct me if I’m wrong, Daniel – but with her finding the poster and the job and seeing what’s going on, she’s figured it out. So now she’s just trying to cover for Dili. Um, so she’s just like, [As Nix] Damn, that fire. Holy shit. Hey You, and, uh, Other Guy. Sampson [Dili] 00:40:25 Other Guy is now his name in my notes. Stace [Nix] 00:40:28 [As Nix] Uh, pay attention to me? No? Can I have my scorps? You know what, why don’t you guys let us clean this up, you guys go take those scorps to the front porch and enjoy yourselves. Daniel [GM] 00:40:42 Mhmm. Okay. So, Stace, I am gonna give you, because they’re already confused about Sampson to a certain degree, and also because of all the confusion, you’re going to have two assets to this. One for all the confusion and then one because you are from the Society of Benevolent Travelers. And so, for you, it would be a 6. Stace [Nix] 00:41:06 Cool. And then can I apply assets beyond? Daniel [GM] 00:41:11 You have two assets, if you have a skill in Social Interactions you can apply. Stace [Nix] 00:41:16 I do have a skill. Daniel [GM] 00:41:17 Okay, so that brings it down to a 3 for you. Stace [Nix] 00:41:18 13. Alex [ChaCha] 00:41:22 Yeah! Daniel [GM] 00:41:22 Okay, so they buy into it and they say, [As Other Guy] Huh. Yeah, I guess you got a point. And Hey You looks up and says, like, [As Hey You] Hey, if Nix says it, it’s gotta be right. Nix is a good person, Nix is good shit. Sampson [Dili] 00:41:39 Nix was a good kid. Daniel [GM] 00:41:45 The two kind of wander off, leaving a probably slightly quaking Dili standing there with you guys. Sampson [Dili] 00:41:56 [As Dili] We, I think I may need to leave this house. Stace [Nix] 00:42:00 [As Nix] Oh my fucking god. Y’all…okay. So Nix writes a note for Atalia like, “We went to my mom’s.” Puts it on the board and is, like, [As Nix] Y’all, like, there’s only one other place I know to go and it’s my mom’s house. But if I bring you here you guys have to be chill as hell. Cuz she’s sick, and she’s resting. I cannot have this level of shenanigans, Dili. Sampson [Dili] 00:42:35 [As Dili] I…didn’t do anything that I’m aware of, so as long as your mom’s chill, I’ll be chill. Okay? Stace [Nix] 00:42:42 [As Nix] You guys aren’t even going to lay eyes on my mom, all right? You guys are gonna go inside, you’re gonna go downstairs. Sampson [Dili] 00:42:48 [As Dili] Yes, absolutely. Just, can we get out of here? Stace [Nix] 00:42:52 [As Nix] Yeah, let’s go. Sampson [Dili] 00:42:53 [As Dili] All right. Daniel [GM] 00:42:55 Okay. So you head over to Stace’s family home. It is in a very nice neighborhood, and it’s actually from the exterior a very nice home. As Nix opens the door you can see that it’s a little more rundown inside. This was clearly at one point a very impressive home in terms of value. But it looks like a lot of stuff has been sold off. There’s a lot of empty shelves and things like that. As you walk in, Nix, you notice that your father is no longer sitting on that bench and the house is relatively quiet. Stace [Nix] 00:43:36 Nix immediately leads them down to the basement. Daniel [GM] 00:43:40 Okay. Alex [ChaCha] 00:43:40 We are in your basement. Sampson [Dili] 00:43:42 Dili follows. Alex [ChaCha] 00:43:43 Unless ChaCha sees unseen horrors, she follows. Stace [Nix] 00:43:48 Nix leads them down into the basement and there’s sort of, like, a lot of empty shelves. Very small portion of non-perishable foods. And a lot of bare floor. She’s like, [As Nix] Hey, it’s not comfortable like the wayhouse, but, like, roll out your bedrolls, like rest in here, I’m gonna go tell my parents that we’re here. Guys, I need to look me in the eyes. Do not leave this basement. Sampson [Dili] 00:44:18 [As Dili] Okay. Alex [ChaCha] 00:44:19 [As ChaCha] But what if I light it on fire? Stace [Nix] 00:44:21 [As Nix] ChaCha, if you light it on fire you’re going to stay down here and you’re going to put it out, all right? Alex [ChaCha] 00:44:28 [As ChaCha] What about the horrors? Stace [Nix] 00:44:30 [As Nix] Can’t speak for the horrors, but if you gotta leave this basement you gotta go outside. I cannot have my mom get stressed out. She’s-just, it’s not good, okay? Alex [ChaCha] 00:44:42 [As ChaCha] Okay. Sampson [Dili] 00:44:42 [As Dili] Okay. Thank you for offering your basement, by the way. Stace [Nix] 00:44:49 [As Nix] Oh, yeah, Dili, while you’re down here. And Nix pulls out the poster. [As Nix] We’re going to talk about this when I get back. Sampson [Dili] 00:45:00 [As Dili] Oh shit. Daniel [GM] 00:45:01 And it’s a poster that has Dili’s name on it, with it seems like some sort of code name for somebody to check with, presumably from the Pathfinder you could figure out who it actually is. And the bounty listed there is currently 500 shins. Sampson [Dili] 00:45:19 [As Dili] Oh, noo. Alex [ChaCha] 00:45:21 [As ChaCha] Dili, did you juggle? Sampson [Dili] 00:45:23 [As Dili] I would never juggle in our Queen’s beautiful city, how dare you? Daniel [GM] 00:45:32 And, Dili, as you’re looking that this bounty and your name, we’re going to cut back to Atalia. Atalia was going back home, I assume? Marietta [Atalia] 00:45:39 Yes. Yes. Daniel [GM] 00:45:43 So, you come in the door. The place is relatively dark as you would expect from this time of night. And from out of one of the bedrooms trots that seskii, and it happily looks at you and you hear a voice from that bedroom, with the door open, and it says, [As Atalia’s Grandma] Atalia? Is that you? Marietta [Atalia] 00:46:02 [As Atalia] Yep. Yep, that’s me. Daniel [GM] 00:46:05 [As Atalia’s Grandma] Oh, god, I’m glad your home. You were gone almost a week this time. Marietta [Atalia] 00:46:09 [As Atalia] Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be gone so long. Daniel [GM] 00:46:13 [As Atalia’s Grandma] Um, I’m glad you’re okay. You are okay, right? Marietta [Atalia] 00:46:16 [As Atalia] Of course! I’m always okay. Daniel [GM] 00:46:19 Give me a deception roll of…. Alex [ChaCha] 00:46:22 20. Daniel [GM] 00:46:24 Of 9. Sampson [Dili] 00:46:25 At a detriment cuz that’s your grandma, how dare you. Alex [ChaCha] 00:46:28 She knows. Marietta [Atalia] 00:46:31 I rolled a 2. Multiple Speakers 00:46:33 [Laughter] Daniel [GM] 00:46:37 [As Atalia’s Grandma] Atalia, I-. You don’t have to lie to me. I know things are hard and I know I don’t-. My condition doesn’t make things any easier. But, please don’t lie to me. And I worry about you when your gone. Marietta [Atalia] 00:46:52 [As Atalia] I wish you wouldn’t, though. I don’t wanna cause you more trouble, but anyway, here’s some money. And I’ll leave 30 of the shins on the counter. [As Atalia] That should cover everything for a little bit, at least. Daniel [GM] 00:47:07 [As Atalia’s Grandma] Atalia, you know I worry about this, what you’re doing. Marietta [Atalia] 00:47:10 [As Atalia] I know! But I don’t have anything else I can do right now, and you know I’m saving a little bit so maybe something else will come along. But I’m-I try to be careful. Daniel [GM] 00:47:21 [As Atalia’s Grandma] You sure? There’s this other stuff? Because I’m getting worried you’re getting to like this kind of work that you’re doing. At one point you were talking about getting enough money to go back to school or to get to school, and now I don’t hear you talk about that any more. And at this point you notice the seskii has come up and started licking the fingers on your right hand. Marietta [Atalia] 00:47:43 I’ll pet the seskii very thoroughly. Daniel [GM] 00:47:49 The crystals along its back glow kind of a happy lilac. Marietta [Atalia] 00:47:53 [As Atalia] Speaking of which, I wonder if I should return this fellow. I don’t think it’s owners can…. How have you enjoyed having a pet? Daniel [GM] 00:48:02 [As Atalia’s Grandm] Oh, she’s been, she’s been very pleasant. She’s been a good friend. It did seem a little lonely, like it was worried while you were gone. You know how loyal these creatures are. I’m kind of shocked that it bonded to you so quickly. Marietta [Atalia] 00:48:16 [As Atalia] Yeah, it was definitely a bizarre experience. I’m not sure how this all happened to be honest. Ah, but I’ll never say no to some affection. Daniel [GM] 00:48:24 Wow, that was really depressing. Uh…. Multiple Speakers 00:48:27 [Laughter] Marietta [Atalia] 00:48:32 [As Atalia] Yeah, look, I’ll be around for a little bit. I’m trying to figure out some things. You know, I do try to stay out of trouble. But I have line I don’t want to cross, and I think some of those things might be coming up soon that I’ll actually have to deal with. Daniel [GM] 00:48:51 [As Atalia’s Grandma] Hmm. That’s tough. But lines are good, lines are very good. They’re very important. Just remember, you know, what’s important about the lines is what’s good for your and yours. There’s nobody else. Not even-. She takes a moment, she kisses her hand and touches it to the wall of the house and says, [As Atalia’s Grandma] Not even our Queen decides what’s right from wrong. I’m saying, be careful. I’m glad your home. Come here and give your grandma a hug. Marietta [Atalia] 00:49:24 I’ll go hug her real good. Grandmas give the best hugs. Daniel [GM] 00:49:28 It is a great hug. Marietta [Atalia] 00:49:30 Aw, man. Daniel [GM] 00:49:32 She kind of smiles at you and wanders back into her bedroom and gets back into her bed. Marietta [Atalia] 00:49:40 All right, I’ll crawl into mine and take the seskii with me. Daniel [GM] 00:49:44 Yep, the seskii definitely happily hops onto the bed that you’re in and curls up by your feet. It’s huge thought, so it’s taking up a good chunk of the bed. Marietta [Atalia] 00:49:55 We are forced to spoon, oh no. I’m so angry. No I’m not, this is great. Alex [ChaCha] 00:49:59 So much spooning. Marietta [Atalia] 00:50:01 I guess I’ll drift off and consider my options and try to decide how I’m gonna find out where this stupid artifact is. Daniel [GM] 00:50:09 Mhmm. Okay. So I would say the next morning you arise, and as you’re getting ready for the day, at some point you open the front door and you see something stuck in the door there with a nail. In an envelope. Marietta [Atalia] 00:50:25 I’ll go and investigate that. Daniel [GM] 00:50:27 Okay, so when you open the envelope you see a picture of a circle with a hand holding a dagger in it. And at the bottom it says, “See me.” And it has an address for a part of town that you’re not super familiar with. It’s one of the other wards. And it has a time which is tonight at 8 p.m. Underneath that, handwritten, is a note in a totally different handwriting that says, “Sorry about this, A. I did what I could.” And then it’s signed with just a “J”. And that’s where we’ll end this episode. Sampson [Dili] 00:51:12 Oh fuck. Stace [Nix] 00:51:15 We gotta Atalia cliffhangers, we’ve got Dili cliffhangers. Sampson [Dili] 00:51:21 I have to get my story straight. Marietta [Atalia] 00:51:25 Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. Alex [ChaCha] 00:51:26 ChaCha’s looking pretty normal right now, ha ha ha. Sampson [Dili] 00:51:30 No, ChaCha’s still the slightly odd one out. Daniel [GM] 00:51:35 So whether it made you feel awesome or not, what was a moment for Dili that stuck out for you this time Sampson? Sampson [Dili] 00:51:41 Oh, shit. I did like getting an excuse to yell out pee pervert, that was fun. But that was more a me thing not a Dili thing. Nothing particularly, like, awesome, but I did like the sudden intensity of Dili being recognized and oh, shit, people are looking for Dili. Daniel [GM] 00:52:04 Yeah. Sampson [Dili] 00:52:05 It was fun in an unorthodox way. Daniel [GM] 00:52:09 Yeah. Cool. Very cool. We have a segment each week that we do called Player Intrusions. It’s where one of us tells you something you should be checking out to enjoy. So, this week it is Stace’s turn. Stace, what would you give our listeners an XP to check out? Stace [Nix] 00:52:27 Listen, I feel like this isn’t going to come as a surprise, Daniel. But it’s gonna be for Foundryside by Robert Jackson Bennett. Yeah. Which I literally just finished yesterday. And, it was really incredible. It made me think a lot. It also had a lot of action which I appreciate and prefer. I just thought, honestly, just, like, starting with the magic system in that book? It’s crazy. It’s like logic is the magic system. Like programming almost. Program objects. Magic is just a programmed violation of reality. Thought that was super cool. I thought it had-. I haven’t figured it out yet, Daniel. I keep thinking about it. I thought there was some commentary on late-stage capitalism? Daniel [GM] 00:53:16 Oh yeah. Stace [Nix] 00:53:17 And, yeah. People as commodities, whether as consumers or as production. But mostly heists. 99% heists. That was amazing. And then a little bit of an adorable female/female romance. Yeah. Daniel [GM] 00:53:39 It’s a great book. I agree with you. It’s an awesome choice. Stace [Nix] 00:53:41 Yeah. So I thought the four main characters were really well done. I don’t usually like too many characters, but I felt like they were really fleshed out. So you had Sancia, which is how I think it’s pronounced, the main protagonist. She was magically assisted – I don’t want to spoil anything – but, um. And carries out most of the insane heists. Then there’s Gregor who’s this idealistic guard captain who also is the heir to one of the merchant houses, which are kind of like the corporations in this town. Trying to bring justice and order to a system that has none. Which, also, to come back to political commentary, I thought it was interesting that he started by trying to apply justice to the oppressed rather than to the oppressors. But again, it’s well thought-out. And then Orso, the head scientist basically of the same merchant house that Gregor’s from and his assistant Berenice. Who is brilliant. I thought it was a really good heist book. Like, all this stuff I’m talking about makes it sound like it was a super-serious book and it wasn’t. It’s just when you think about it after the fact. A really good ensemble fantasy-action-heist book. And I strongly recommend. Daniel [GM] 00:55:14 Yeah, definitely co-signed. It’s one of my favorites in recent years. Sampson [Dili] 00:55:18 Who’s the author? Stace [Nix] 00:55:21 Robert Jackson Bennett. Yep. Also, just to shout out for this author, check out City of Stairs, my previous favorite book by this author. Wow, I’m gonna have to read it again. We’re gonna have a head-to-head competition, see which one’s my favorite by this author. Daniel [GM] 00:55:38 Now you need the rest of the city trilogies. Stace [Nix] 00:55:42 Yeah, I gotta read City of Miracles, too. Add it to my to-be-read. Thank goodness for this quarantine. Daniel [GM] 00:55:49 Yeah, exactly. Daniel [GM] 00:55:54 Hey, if people want to talk to us and chat with us about various things, how can they reach us, Marietta? Marietta [Atalia] 00:56:00 They can reach us on the social media. We have Instagram, we’re @explorerswantedpodcast. And Twitter, we’re @explorerswanted. And Facebook page, Explorers Wanted Podcast, and we have explorerswanted.fm? Our website. And the Tumblr might come. It needs to be by popular demand, so. Alex [ChaCha] 00:56:25 We get 50 retweets…. Daniel [GM] 00:56:30 So we are a new podcast like I said before. If you like what you heard here, the best thing you could do to help us would be to tell a friend about the podcast and what you like about it. The second best thing you could do is leave us a 5-star rating and review on the podcast directory of your choice. Whether that’s Apple podcasts, Google podcasts, or whatever. And people being able to find us and us being able to connect with an audience. If you want to reach out to us individually on the socials, you can. You can find me on Twitter @andrlik. That’s A-N-D-R-L-I-K. Stace [Nix] 00:57:10 You can find me on Twitter @StaceWindu. That is @ Sierra-Tango-Alpha-Charlie-Echo-Whiskey-India-November-Delta-Uniform. Sampson [Dili] 00:57:18 Army much? Stace [Nix] 00:57:22 One weekend a month, two weeks a year. Sampson [Dili] 00:57:28 You can try to guess my backstory @slampotato. Alex [ChaCha] 00:57:34 If you want to reach me, social media stuff, teawithaunicorn, unless Twitter, realteaunicorn. And, yeah, probably about the time you’re hearing this, I’m knee deep in Animal Crossing on my Murder Island. Sampson [Dili] 00:57:52 Oh you can do that now, in Animal Crossing? Alex [ChaCha] 00:57:55 Well, I’m gonna call it Murder Island, and we’re gonna see what happens. Marietta [Atalia] 00:58:02 Seems appropriate. Alex [ChaCha] 00:58:03 Come at me, Tom Nook. Come at me. Stace [Nix] 00:58:06 The only thing murdered is your economy. Alex [ChaCha] 00:58:09 Yep. Deforestation. Marietta [Atalia] 00:58:11 Oh, brutal. Marietta [Atalia] 00:58:13 I don’t know if you all have looked at the stock market lately. But anyway, you can find me on Instagram @imonahike. Yeah. Cool. I like pictures. Daniel [GM] 00:58:24 We will be back next week. Thank you so much for listening. Have a wonderful night. Multiple Speakers 00:58:33 Bye! [Beep] 00:58:54 Alex [ChaCha] 00:59:06 Are there horrors in this bar? Besides the centipedes? Sampson [Dili] 00:59:09 And the beer? Huh-ho! Stace [Nix] 00:59:12 And the bartender. [Beep] 00:59:13 Stace [Nix] 00:59:15 I’m enjoying…oh, crap. My cat just sat on my keyboard. Am-I’m still recording? I gotta make sure I’m still recording. I am. Starbuck. Sorry, girl. I’m here. I’m ready. [Beep] 00:59:38 Marietta [Atalia] 00:59:39 Wait, vampire queen? Multiple Speakers 00:59:41 [Crosstalk about vampires] Stace [Nix] 00:59:41 You all are super-obsessed with vampires. Daniel [GM] 00:59:46 I didn’t say vampire. Alex [ChaCha] 00:59:48 Let us live our fantasies. Daniel [GM] 00:59:54 Little bit judgy. Stace [Nix] 00:59:55 I’m not-. It’s more of an observation. Sampson [Dili] 00:59:55 It sounded judgy there. It sounded a little like what a judgy person would say. Daniel [GM] 00:59:58 When you’ve Season 3 of Castlevania you’ll be right with us. Stace [Nix] 01:00:01 I’ve gotta finish Episode 1, okay? Um, but, vampires feature heavily in paranormal romance so…. Daniel [GM] 01:00:10 Yeah, they do. Stace [Nix] 01:00:13 So I am very familiar and have my own relationship with vampires. I’m just saying, you guys…the vampire chat has been lit this week. Marietta [Atalia] 01:00:24 It’s because it’s a quarantine. Sampson [Dili] 01:00:29 That’s true. Cuz vampires don’t get sick. Stace [Nix] 01:00:31 Or are they always sick? Is it a disease? Alex [ChaCha] 01:00:33 Yeah. Marietta [Atalia] 01:00:35 Yeah. Multiple Speakers 01:00:39 Oooh. Marietta [Atalia] 01:00:38 I mean, yes. It is in Skyrim. Daniel [GM] 01:00:41 If you’re doing the urban fantasy version at all, no it is not a disease. Stace [Nix] 01:00:45 No, not. Not at all. Daniel [GM] 01:00:49 Okay. That will be fun later to figure out how much of that I’m going to keep in or not. Marietta [Atalia] 01:00:54 It’s like, wow, this is quality content. [Inaudible]. Alex [ChaCha] 01:00:56 Five minutes about vampires. Stace [Nix] 01:00:59 Low-quality content, am I right? Daniel [GM] 01:01:02 Yeah, it’s actually good content, it’s just whether or not it breaks up the story too much. Marietta [Atalia] 01:01:07 True. True. [Beep] 01:01:09 Multiple Speakers 01:01:10 Bye! Alex [ChaCha] 01:01:13 My butt really hurts.